With my head dipped, I press my lips to hers, sealing the vow we already know is unbreakable.
The sun is already starting to set when we pull up to Hawk’s place, the sky washed in that late-summer gold that makes everything appear gentle and soft, like it hasn’t spent all day trying to wring you dry. I kill the engine and sit there for half a second longer than necessary, my hand resting on Blake’s thigh.
Blake unbuckles herself beside me, moving more slowly these days without commenting on it, one hand automatically braced against her belly as she shifts in her seat. As we climb from the car, laughter drifts over the fence from the backyard. It’s loud and unfiltered, unmistakably the sound of my Aegis family. It’s the first Saturday in a while that all of us have been on US soil, making tonight’s dinner and beers on the deck long overdue.
Theo is a dead weight against my shoulder, warm and boneless with sleep, his small fingers twisted into the collar of my shirt, tethering my mini-me to me. While he has my face, has inherited my fearless personality, and looks like he’s going to outgrow Blake by the time he goes tokindergarten, beneath his heavy lids, he has her warm chocolate eyes. And he definitely has her huge heart.
We walk through the side gate and onto the deck, and the noise crescendos with every step. It smells like summer, cut grass, sunscreen, and the mouth-watering aroma of meats roasting over charcoal. Hawk stands at the grill, a king at his post, spatula in hand, smoke curling around him. Reese is perched at the table by his side, a glass of wine in her hand, swirling as she emphatically gestures while she talks. Abby, Gunnar, Damon, and Mattis crowd around the table, beer bottles scattered between them, all relaxed in a way that comes from being exactly where you belong.
“Finally!” Abby shouts, spotting us first and shoving up from her chair so hard it screeches against the wood. “I’ve been waiting for a hug from my favorite guyallday.”
I shift Theo higher on my shoulder and stretch out my free arm dramatically. “I live to serve.”
Abby stops short and rolls her eyes so hard it’s honestly impressive. “Ew. Not you.” She reaches up and carefully peels the half-asleep toddler off my shoulder like she’s handling a precious artifact. My son doesn’t even stir, just sighs and tucks his face into her neck.He loves his Aunt Abby.
“I was talking about my sweet little boy, Theo,” she coos, pressing her nose into his hair.
Traitor.
Hawk flips a burger and playfully chides, “It’s about time.”
“Traffic was absolute shit,” I huff, already headingfor the cooler by the railing. “I nearly committed a felony on the Dan Ryan.”
Gunnar leans back in his chair with a lazy grin, beer balanced on his stomach. “Worth it, though?” His gaze shifts to Blake. “How is Maryam?”
“So good.” Blake’s voice softens with delight as she sets her bag down and slides into an open seat. “Aliyah and Marcus, too.”
I can’t help but smile and shake my head a little at the mention of his name. My happiness is out of sheer disbelief and incredulous gratitude that Maryam somehow found someone who actually deserves her. Marcus is genuinely a good man. He’s kind in a way that isn’t loud or performative, holding doors open for everyone because it doesn’t occur to him not to, listening when Maryam talks instead of waiting for his turn to speak, and doting on Aliyah as though she were his own. After the piece of shit she was married to before, she deserves someone who treats her like she—and every woman—deserves.
Hawk nods, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. “We miss her at Aegis.”
Blake’s expression softens. “She misses all of you, too. But you should see her at the shelter. The way she lights up when she talks about her work… It’s like she finally found where she’s supposed to be.”
I crack a beer and lean against the railing, watching as she speaks, sharing details of our visit today. Her hands move when she gets excited, her eyes twinkling brightly.
Dinner settles into an easy rhythm. Conversation and laughter drift around the table as casually as we pass around serving plates and bottles of beer. Having all of us together seems to be the catalyst for the rare occurrence of letting our collective guard down.
Reese and Blake are deep in conspiratorial conversation, both of them growing more excited by the minute. At least I assume, based on the increasingly flamboyant hand gestures as they talk.
“We could do a spotlight story!” Reese exclaims, already halfway into action mode. “A humanitarian lifestyle feature about the clinic. Highlight patient stories and the impact your work has on a disadvantaged community. Show people where their money actually goes.”
Blake’s eyes light up, hope and purpose colliding. “That could bring in so many new benefactors. Even a few consistent donors would change everything.”
I watch them, pride warming in my chest. Two formidable forces of nature.God help anyone who underestimates them or tries to get in their way.
Long after the food is done and the plates have been moved to the kitchen, the night settles in thick and warm. Cicadas hum in the distance as the deck lights cast everything in a soft glow. I’m stretched out in one of Hawk’s oversized lounge chairs, a cold beer sweating in my hand, and Theo is back where he belongs. He is curled up in my lap and passed out against my chest, mouth open, leaving a small puddle of drool on my shirt. He’s so perfect that I’d have Blake give me a hundred more of him if she could.Not that I’m even remotely against making a go at it.
Gunnar drops into the chair beside me, studying the scene with a smirk. “I still can’t get over how natural you are at this.”
I glance down at Theo, then back at him. “Aw, thanks, Dad.”
“I mean, it tracks,” he jests. “Because you are a giant child.”
I shake my head. “You know you’d be bored out of your mind if I didn’t keep you on your toes.”
His eyes drift past me to where Blake stands laughing with Abby, one hand absentmindedly rubbing the ever-growing curve of her belly.
“Three more months?” Gunnar asks.
